Jaywick: Man sentenced to eight years for manslaughter following retrial

Bobby Nethercott was jailed for 8 years for the manslaughter of Michelle Cooper when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday 12 July.

Bobby Nethercott had gone for drinks at The Never Say Die Public House in Broadway, Jaywick, on Friday 23 April 2021. After he left, he made his way with others to a house in Beach Way, where he assaulted forty-year-old Michelle in the street.

An ambulance treated Michelle at the scene for a serious head injury after she lost consciousness, before conveying her to hospital.

Michelle’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and she was placed into an induced coma upon arrival at the hospital.

Michelle, from Clacton, never regained consciousness and, sadly, died of her injuries in hospital on Sunday 25 April, two days later.

Bobby Nethercott, 33, previously of Park Square East, stood trial for three months at Chelmsford Crown Court starting on Monday 6 December 2021. During the trial, new charges of manslaughter were laid for Nethercott, replacing the original charge for murder.

On 21 March 2022 the jury found Bobby Nethercott guilty of manslaughter and he was sentenced to a total of eight years for manslaughter and two counts of ABH.

However, Nethercott lodged an appeal and was acquitted of the manslaughter conviction but remained in prison for other convictions.

He was re-charged and stood trial for manslaughter at Chelmsford Crown Court from the 26 June this year.